Record rainfall triggers Severe flooding in Japan’s Nagoya

Central Japan’s Nagoya City announced that it had reached the decision to offer emergency assistance within its city after at least 41 individuals were slightly injured when a linear rain band developed and caused unprecedented amounts of rainfall within the Tokai region the previous day.

Nagoya has recorded 104mm of rain in just one hour, with Japan issuing its highest-level rain warning as parts of the city face severe flooding. Nagoya is host city for the ASIAN GAMES 2026 from September 19.

As a result of the downpour, many commuters and school children were forced to spend the night in Nagoya because the transport had come to a standstill due to the rain.

As of 7pm Tuesday evening, around 1,600 people had sought shelter in evacuation centres while as of 4am Wednesday morning, 200 vehicles had sustained damage due to the rain.

Nearby Nagoya Station on Wednesday morning, many people were seen rushing to work looking tired because they could not return home, including a 23-year-old lady from Kasugai Town who spent the night at a karaoke bar near the station along with a friend.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned on Wednesday about continued heavy rainfall in many parts of the country until Thursday because of an active front.

Rain may further increase risks in places like Tokai as a result of the loose soils in the regions.

According to the agency, a front covers the Pacific coasts of western and eastern Japan, while a tropical depression, having been downgraded from Typhoon Krovanh, continues its northern movement south of the island of Shikoku.

Moist warm air is blowing in the direction of the active front, which is anticipated to move southwards and will continue to be south of the island of Honshu on Thursday.

According to the agency, linear rain bands, which may bring localized heavy rains for a longer period of time, may occur in Tokai and other regions on Wednesday.

It is predicted that in the next 24 hours ending at 6am on Thursday, up to 200mm (7 inches) of rain will fall in Tokai and western Japan’s Kinki region, 150mm in Shikoku, and 120mm in Kanto-Koshin region, including Tokyo, and Hokuriku region near Sea of Japan coast, and 80mm in Tohoku region.